Real Gone
by Paulisha
Summary: A collection of oneshots about a hotshot rookie racecar and a smart, beautiful Porsche.
1. Wheel Well

**Author's Note: **Hello! I used to be a huge part of the _Cars_ fandom, but now my interests have whisked me off to somewhere else. You could say I've gotten _frostbite, _if that's a good hint. Anyway, I've had these oneshots just sitting on my computer and I figure they have a lot better use on here so might as well publish them. That being said, it won't take long for this story to become listed as complete as I'm not writing new ones, only publishing the already completed pieces. Thanks for reading though and I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: _Cars_ and its characters are owned by Disney and Pixar respectively. **

* * *

Sally couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She could barely stop _looking _at it. Almost every day for two years, Sally had taken time to come visit the old, abandoned hotel. The view itself being part of what caused her to stay in Radiator Springs in the first place, it was very special to her. She had given lots of thought to re-opening the historic place but with no one coming through the town; what was the point? That was before Lightning.

Now instead of a deserted playground for dust and bugs, there stood a newly done bar and restaurant. The marble counter was back dropped with a large flat screen TV and shelves of different types of wines, champagnes, and hard liquor. The original circular shape was still intact and dark tiled floors led outside to the restaurant portion. A number of low white tables, all with lit candles, were set around the view and streams of white lights were strung around for ambience and atmosphere. The sounds of airy music plus laughs and chatter seemed to fade away as the Porsche got lost in her own thoughts.

"Sally." She turned to see Lightning, painted dark crimson, void of any logos or stickers (her favorite look on him), and with two martinis in front of his tires.

"Congratulations." He smiled as he gently pushed one towards her.

"Thanks." Sally smiled and parked in front of him as they both somewhat awkwardly took sips from their drinks.

"Who knew little Guido had such mad bartending skills?" Lightning joked, feeling unusually shy, like he always seemed to feel around Sally.

She laughed lightly and when the silence came around again, she said softly, "Thank you, Lightning."

Lightning looked up from his drink surprised. "For what?"

"What do you mean 'for what'? If it wasn't for you, this wouldn't be possible. I mean, you helped me so much. With the funds, designing plans, encouraging me when things went wrong. You really came through for me and, well, I appreciate it."

A sheepish smile crept on Lightning's face and he pretended to shrug the appraisals off. "Ahh, it was nothing. I know how much you care about this place and I care a lot about you-" When he saw the surprised look on her face, he quickly added, "I mean, you're my…friend and I just wanted to make you happy because I- What were we talking about?"

Eyes slightly widen, Sally softly giggled at Lightning's rare behavior. "I was thanking you?'

"Right. You're welcome." He half-smiled, thankful for his red paint to cover his blush. He turned to face the cliff edge, "Gosh, it's so nice tonight."

They couldn't have picked a better night for the debut, as the weather was mildly hot but filled with a spring breeze, and the disappearing sunset showed different shades of pinks, oranges, and reds.

"Yeah…" Sally trailed off.

Lightning found himself not even looking at the same sight she was anymore, but at the Porsche. It had been months since Lightning came to live in Radiator Springs permanently and both him and Sally had gotten pretty close as good friends, but that almost-kiss lingered in the back of their minds like a hot iron. They already knew they both had _some _feelings for each other, it was admitting it that was the hardest part.

Noticing Lightning's stare, she blinked and muttered a "What?" The racecar blinked profusely and switched his gaze to the ground instead. "Nothing… Actually, Sally, I-"

"Hey! Y'all stop flirtin' and come join the party ar'ready!" Mater yelled from the entrance of the bar, unknowingly (most likely, knowingly) interrupting, before disappearing back inside.

They both laughed and Sally rolled her eyes, "What were you saying, Stickers?"

Shaking his hood with a smile, he said, "Just that I'm happy for you. Now come on, you horrible hostess, I need another one of Guido's martinis."

Laughing, she added, "Make that two."


	2. Unspoken

**Disclaimer: _Cars_ and its character are property of Disney and Pixar respectively. **

* * *

So many thoughts flashed through her head as things moved too fast. Looking around, Sally noticed some of the press had left Lightning and surrounded her friends and neighbors, making space around his trailer. She could hear him talking to someone as she shyly emerged on the opposite side. As soon as Lightning saw her, he left his conversation with as little as "Just give me a second here, Harv." and moved closer to her. They were silent, neither knowing what to say. Lightning's heart broke seeing Sally's expression, her face full of sadness and dread…mirroring his exactly.

"Sally, I want you to know.-"

_that I think I love you._…

"Look, I wish-"

_I could stay with you._…

He tried to express his feelings to her but somehow, the thoughts couldn't be made into words, all he could do was sigh and look down at the road…the road he paved.

"Thank you…" her surprisingly still strong voice said.

"Thanks for everything…"

_For fixing the road, for staying, for being who you really are, for making me fall in love with you._

Was she really thanking him? What did he do that could possibly compare to what they had done for him? "Oh, it was just a road." He said slightly embarrassed from the unexpected show of gratitude.

"No, it was much more than that…"

_It's what brought you here._

Lightning looked at Sally with an unreadable expression, so many emotions he'd never felt before or hadn't felt in too long were pouring out of him and he was starting to drown in them. Still gazing at Sally, he heard a now unhitched Mack pull up behind him. "Hey kid! We gotta go! Harv's going crazy! He's going to have me fired if I don't get you in the truck _right now_!" Shaking his frame, he told Mack to hold on, only wanting to spend the last few minutes he might have here with Sally, nothing else mattered.

"You should go." Sally said, feeling the unnerving bulge in her throat and knowing that tears would follow soon after.

"I know but…"

_I don't want to._

"Good luck in California." She said reversing and about to drive away. Lightning softly gasped.

_No, Sally. Please._

"I hope you find what you're looking for." With one last look, she drove off around the trailer. Lightning was quick to try and follow her.

_You're what I'm looking for!_

Where she was parked was rapidly replaced with flashing cameras and shouting cars. With nowhere else to go and all hope lost, Lightning reversed and was backed mercilessly up the ramp into his trailer. Looking over the crowd, he could see the familiar faces he's come to know and he tried to speak as the trailer ramp closed mercilessly on him.


	3. Dirty

**Disclaimer: _Cars_ and its characters are property of Disney and Pixar respectively.**

_-Humanized-_

* * *

With her pen writing quickly across the page, Sally focused on her paperwork diligently as she did every day. The radio played a slow country song throughout the office as she glanced out of the office window; noticing that the sun was setting, giving everything a reddish glow. In the back of her mind, she wondered where Mater and Lightning were. Ever since the last stampede and Sherriff actually catching them in the act for cow tipping one night, he required the partners in crime to be back by nightfall or else he'd throw both of them in the impound. Sally smiled, shaking her head, as she remembered the ridiculous looks on the boys' faces-like their puppy had died. She returned to her work as persistently as before until she heard an old and sputtering engine which unmistakably had to be Mater's tow truck. A couple minutes later, a loud Southern voice drifted to her office and Lightning's boisterous laughter joined in.

_Boys._ She thought before hearing the crunch of footfalls on the ground and looking up to meet the very muddy, sweaty, and dirty version of her boyfriend. Sally couldn't contain her laughter. "You look…"

"Devilishly handsome, I know." Lightning joked, complete with a dramatic flip of his growing blonde hair. His simple white t-shirt was turned to a mixture of browns and greens and his jeans had some new tears that weren't there before.

Sally got up from her chair and walked around her desk, crossing her arms over her chest, "Yeah, _that's_ what I was going to say." She watched as he walked closer to her and suddenly put her hand out to stop him and her other over her nose, "Stickers…what is that smell?"

Lightning stopped and lifted his not-so-white shirt to his nose, slightly wincing at the strong odor Sally mentioned. "Well, that would be a mixture of dirt, sweat, grass, mud, cows…and Mater."

With an amused look on her face, Sally shook her head, "Do I want to know?"

"Probably not," was Lightning's answer.

Trying to forget his horrid stench, she came closer to him and softly brushed a piece of dry dirt off his tanned face, "I hope you're en-route to the shower."

As she tried to get the piece of dirt off her fingers, she felt Lightning's lips on her jaw by her ear. She giggled and pushed her shoulder up, he knew it was her ticklish spot. Her face turned to him and she tried to give him a deadpan look, "No. Don't even think about it."

"No? Excuse me, I can't _kiss _you?" He then opened his arms with a sweet smile on his face moving closer to her, "Alright. How 'bout a _hug_?"

"Lightning! Eeeeeee!" Sally ran around her desk, half-laughing and half-shrieking with Lightning chasing her.

"I'm clean, I'm clean!", she shouted as he looped his finger through one of her jean belt holes and pulled her back to him, smirking at how squeamish she was acting. Knocking full on into him, Sally felt like she just took a fall in Frank's fields; she could feel her clothes collect dirt and Lightning just had to rub his filthy, sweaty face against hers, causing her to sport the same look he had.

When he decided to let her go, Lightning couldn't do anything but laugh at Sally's disgusted expression when she braved to take a look at her once-clean look of jeans and an ordinary yellow tee.

"Look what you did to me! I- ugh! You are so _impossible_!" Her voice sounded angry but Lightning knew she wasn't all that mad seeing the smile threatening to creep on her oval-shaped face.

"Well, I'm going to go take that shower." Whistling a made-up tune and walking casually towards the door, Lightning turned back to Sally and watched as she desperately tried to wipe off the mess.

With a suggestive smirk, he added, "Care to join me?"


	4. New Hobby

**Author's Note: **Thank you for the lovely reviews! They reassure me that I made the right decision to post these. This one is more about Mater with Sally, than Lightning, but its fun and light-hearted so I still hope you enjoy it and the rest to come.

**Disclaimer: _Cars_ and its characters are property of Disney and Pixar respectively. **

* * *

"Oh no, Mater."

"Oh com' on, Miss Sally! You'll _love_ it! Tractor tippin's _fuuuuunnnnnn_."

Engine idling in the dark, Sally stared down the hill that gently sloped into a large field. The tall grass waved back and forth in a hello as large tractors slept peacefully, unaware of the mayhem that the rusty tow truck at her side was planning to ensue.

_Oh, boy. _She wished she could have resisted Mater's large, hazel-green eyes and his innocent, buck-toothed grin. He had asked, practically begged, her to accompany him on his favorite pastime. Sally couldn't have said no mainly because she knew how he felt. Lightning left for the racing season a couple months ago and it was more than obvious that Mater missed his ever faithful partner-in-crime. Sally was no different when it came to her " Stickers" and because of that, she was out here in the middle of the night with Mater and a bunch of smelly tractors.

"Mater, I- can't we get in trouble for this?"

Mater looked down at her and wiggled the top of his windshield, "Only if we get caught."

With a cheeky grin, he tiptoed in front of a sleeping tractor as a failed attempt of being quiet. After a very enthusiastic honk of his horn, Sally observed with a scrutinized look as the poor tractor woke up with a start, called out a large 'Moo!' while flipping over on it's back, its small wheels turning in the air. Strange internal noises turned into a loud, flatulent noise complete with a puff of smoke from its muffler.

Sally watched from a distance as Mater let out a huge snorting laugh, his tow hook swinging in the air, and proceeded to his next victim. The same thing happened again and Sally was even more confused.

_This_ is it? _This_ is what the tow truck and her boyfriend were doing out here all night? _Boys_, she thought. She almost missed when Mater turned to her and said, "A'right! Your tur', Miss Sally!"

"Well, the thing is, Mater. I-" Quick to back out, Sally saw Mater's excited smile fade a bit and she remembered why she was out here in the first place. One of the last things she wanted to do was let down a good friend like him.

Because it was obviously important to him, Sally drove cautiously through the field, as not to scratch or bump her low undercarriage, and parked in front of a tractor. Mater, who was right next to her, noticed her expression and exclaimed, "Shoot, Miss Sally! Don't be afrai'; it ain't gonna hur' you! Jus' do like wha' I just done di'."

Still unsure, Sally honked her horn, hers a lot more high-pitched than the tow truck's, and retreated quickly beside Mater (or more like behind him) and watched as the tractor, and also the one behind it, flipped over the same as before.

"Wooo-weee! That was a goo' one righ' there! Let's do some mor'!" Mater zoomed off at a surprising speed into the field leaving Sally slowly trailing after him, half-smiling and thinking: _Hmm, stupid but slightly entertaining._

* * *

There was a soft pink glow as the sun started to rise over the town and coming down the one-lane road was a tow truck and a Porsche, chatting excitedly, their paint splattered with grime, their bumpers covered in mud, and pieces of grass peeking out of their rims.

Naturally, Sheriff was the first to see the unusual looking pair. "There you two are! What were you doing out there?!"

Sally looked at Mater, giving him a wink, before shrugging off Sheriff's inquiry. "Oh, nothing."


	5. Stickers

**Disclaimer: _Cars _and its characters are property of Disney and Pixar respectively. **

* * *

She had first said it as an insult, a tease.

She didn't mean it as anything more than a jab at all the corporate sponsors that brand their name on his paint for nothing but profit, and she delighted in how much he despised it. She continued to call him that, and she would tell herself that it was just to get a rise out of the egocentric racecar.

As time passed and they became completely engrossed in the feelings they had for each other, she didn't stop calling him by the nickname, but the_ way_ she said it changed. No longer was she using it as a slur to offend him, but as a show of affection; when he looked so cute half-asleep in the mornings, when he surprised her with a kiss, when he whispered suggestive things in her ear…

And the smile he gave her whenever she said it encouraged her to never call him by any other name again.

It had become more than a nickname. She could call him "Stickers" and in a sea full of "Lightning" and "McQueen" and he would always hear it.

To the world, he was Lightning McQueen- famous racecar and legend in the making; but to her, he would always be "_Stickers"-_ her best friend and love.


	6. Welcome

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the longer-than-usual wait! Thank you for your reviews, etc.!

**Disclaimer: _Cars _and its characters are owned by Disney and Pixar respectively.**

* * *

"And this is the McQueen Racing Headquarters. This is where Lightning and the rest of the team…basically, do everything that has to do with racing! It's also partly a museum for the Hudson Hornet, or Doc, as we know him. It's been here about five years, relatively new to the town." Sally explained, turning to her audience with a smile.

The silvery-blue Aston Martin and purple Jaguar parked in front of Sally, looking at the building with interest. It was late evening, the sun about to set, and Sally had been gracious enough to give the British spy cars a tour of Radiator Springs to which they gladly accepted. They arrived earlier during the day, both excited to see Mater again. This time, not in the face of death.

"So, that's everything. What do you think?"

"Oh, it's lovely." Holley answered first.

"Yes, and full of small town charm. Something we certainly don't acquire in London." Finn added with a smirk.

Sally smiled proudly when she heard their appreciative answers. The two others could tell that Sally loved the Route 66 town probably more than anyone simply by the way she talked about it and how she jumped at the opportunity to show them around.

"Well, it's certainly changed in the last few years, that's for su-." Sally started to drive towards them as the ground started to rumble. The three confused luxury cars lined up on the edge of the paved road to see a huge cloud of dust forming down the way. The unmistakable 'Moo's' could be heard a mile away and a gigantic herd of tractors appeared over the horizon.

Finn and Holley stared with wide eyes as they saw a grinning McQueen in front of the tractors racing away from them. As other cars cleared the road and the tractors tumbled by, the spy cars were even more appalled to see Mater bringing up the rear, hollering and whipping the tractors with his tow cable.

"Come on, y'all! Yee-haw!"

They watched as Sheriff sighed, rolled his eyes, and pulled out of Flo's. He turned his lights and sirens on, speeding off after the trouble _and_ the trouble makers.

"Mater?! Wha-?" Holley stammered. She and Finn turned to the light-blue Porsche expecting some sort of explanation for the odd scene but Sally shook her hood with a smile and said, "Welcome to Radiator Springs."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know, not really Lightning and Sally centered but it was in my files so might as well leave it here. :)


	7. In the Slow Lane

**Disclaimer: Disney and Pixar own _Cars_ and its characters respectively.**

* * *

"_Will you turn that disrespectful junk off?!" _

"_Respect the classics, man! It's Hendrix!" _

Lightning woke up to the same usual routine and flipped himself onto his back, just resting on the warm bed sheets for a minute, before he threw them off and walked to his closet. He tiredly pulled on some old jeans and his red "Rust-eze" racing T-shirt before pulling on some old Converses and headed out the door of his cone, not bothering to comb his shaggy blonde hair. He walked casually to Flo's to meet up with Doc, passing the Cozy Cone office on the way. Lightning had the urge to laugh when he saw Sally sitting at the front desk fast asleep, her head laying on the desk and her long blonde hair fallen on top of papers piled on top of papers. He couldn't do anything but shake his head realizing that this is about the tenth time this month he's found her in the morning asleep at her desk in the small reception. On several occasions, he's picked her up and carried her to her cone, concerned that she would get a neck crick from the uncomfortable position, and it would always be the same thing.

Sally, always too stubborn, would say, _"No. Lightning, I have too much work to do."_

Lightning would say, _"Sally. You need to sleep and in a bed for a change. The work can wait." _

Lightning's thoughts and concerns about Sally stayed in his mind all through his regular early meeting with Doc over coffee at Flo's and his early practice session that morning. The racing season was about to start soon and although Lightning would love nothing more than being able to enjoy what's left of his break, Doc pushed him even harder to start the season off strong.

A little past noon, after Doc and Lightning got the racecar back in the garage, Lightning headed over to Flo's where Sally said she would meet him for lunch after she got caught up checking in guests from yesterday evening when she couldn't go on their customary drive up to Wheel Well. He sat in their booth for thirty minutes…_thirty-one minutes_, he thought, as he couldn't stop his eyes from looking at his watch from time-to-time. Sally was never late. _Well, except for that day in the courtroom_, Lightning thought and started to reminisce about that day when he first met her, and Mater, and Doc. The three now most important people in his life and he was a jerk to all of them. He got lost in his own thoughts until he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He turned thinking it was Sally but came face-to-face with Flo, instead.

"You need a refill, honey?" She asked in her usual upbeat voice, holding a pitcher of ice-cold water. Lightning looked at his barely touched glass of water and smiled back at the kind, dark-skinned woman. "No thanks, Flo. Hey, have you seen Sally?"

Flo went to wipe down the booth next to Lightning while answering. "I saw her rush out of the office and into her car. She looked like she was heading for Wheel Well. But that was hours ago, I haven't seen her since then, sugar."

Lightning stood up and walked past Flo. "I'm going to go see if she's still up there."

"Oh, Lightning!" He turned to Flo, hearing his name. "Can you take this up to her? I'm afraid that girl hasn't eaten; she didn't come here last night for dinner or this morning for breakfast. She's been working harder than I've ever seen." She handed him a café carry out bag filled with food. So he wasn't the only one that noticed Sally's unusual work-hustling behavior. He agreed to take it up to her and headed out the café, getting in his Corvette and heading for Wheel Well.

* * *

"That can't be right. We have to recount again."

"Sally, I've reevaluated it four times and you have too, more than I can count!"

"Ugh." Sally groaned and held her head in her head as she sat across from one of her best and most trusted employees, Rena, who used to be an accountant she knew in California. They were sitting in the backroom of Wheel Well surrounded by millions of files and papers. This was the time of the month Sally hated, counting inventory, writing checks, and reviewing bills. She usually let Rena do it and she would simply just review it but she had to rush to Wheel Well when Rena called saying they had a problem. Files were pulled and figures were calculated over and over again. The numbers just wouldn't add up properly.

"I don't understand." Sally stated as she walked to the wall, leaning her weight against it. "We've been completely booked for the past six months and have reservations scheduled all the way till next summer. There should be _more_ than enough funds for here and the Cone."

Rena looked up from her papers. "I would think so too but that's not what the numbers are saying. Remember how much money it took to get this place up and running in the first place and the bills just to maintain it? It takes a huge toll on the budget."

Sally rested her head on the wall, wincing from the bothering crick in her neck. "I really don't need this." If she knew Lightning would bring the town _this_ much publicity…She wanted to kick herself for even thinking it. Lightning did more for this town than she could imagine, most importantly, getting it back on the map. Re-opening Wheel Well was his idea and they had opened the place together.

As she tried to clear the tiredness from her eyes, she glanced at her watch. "Shit! I have to go. I have that meeting in Flagstaff, remember?" She hurried furiously to pick up her papers.

Rena looked at her blankly. "But what about-?"

"I trust you to do your best to take care of it! Bye!" Sally shouted, already out the door to the reception area. Walking out of Wheel Well, she almost ran right into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I-Lightning? Hi." She smiled, relieved to see him.

Lightning smiled back and kissed her cheek, internally chuckling when he saw her tan cheeks turn a shade of pink. "Hey Sal." He noticed how her arms were filled with folders and papers. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah! Just busy…as usual. Which reminds me, I have a meeting in Flagstaff. I have to go." She turned to walk to her car parked besides Lightning's.

"Wait, Sally." He waited for her to turn around before holding out the bag from Flo's to her. "This is from Flo. She noticed you weren't coming into the café the past day or so. Have you not been eating?" He asked, his voice full of seriousness.

Sally didn't want to lie to him, she hadn't eaten since this time yesterday but with so much to be done and things to finish, eating had slipped her mind…sort of like sleep. "I've been snacking. Wait…Flo's-I was supposed to meet you for lunch today! Lightning, I'm sorry! I forgot, ugh. Things aren't going as well as we hoped right now with the motels and of course, _I_ have to fix it." She said, shaking her head.

She felt one of his arms bring her close to him by her waist so he could talk lower to her. "Sally, you really shouldn't work so hard." This was one of the reasons why she loved him. The caring things he said like that compared to the cocky jerk that flew into town almost a year ago, she couldn't believe the transformation.

"Lightning…. I have to go." She said apologetically, pushing him away and getting in her baby blue Porsche. She turned on the engine and rolled down the window as she saw Lightning walk up to it, his face serious. "Sally, you _really _need to-"

"We'll talk about it later." She said, partially just to soothe him.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"And will you promise me you'll eat?" He handed her the bag from Flo's once again, pushing her to take it.

Sally rolled her green-blue eyes behind her sunglasses, took the bag, and put it on the seat next to her.

"Yes, Lightning. Now, I'm going to be late. See you later." She revved the powerful engine and took off down Tailfin Pass.

Lightning started to worry for her even more as she watched her car disappear quickly into the scenery. He started to realize that maybe all this was causing Sally to lose sight of what was really important…not once did she call him "Stickers".


	8. Pranks

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all of your lovely reviews! You guys are wonderful!

**Disclaimer: _Cars_ and its characters are property of Disney and Pixar respectively. **

* * *

It was dark, really dark, and Lightning couldn't help but admit that though Tailfin Pass was beautiful to drive during the day, it was creepy to do the same at night. He and Sally had spent a wonderful evening at Wheel Well together. It was the town's slow season so there weren't many cars around, making even more of a romantic atmosphere for the couple that has been going strong for almost two years. Sally, being the only one out of the two with functional headlights, led the way while Lightning drove next to her but slightly behind her as well.

"Umm, maybe we should have gotten back before sundown." He commented, his eyes searching the road and still trying to adjust to the deep darkness that surrounded the glow of Sally's headlights.

"Are you _scared_, Stickers?" He could hear the teasing but loving tone of her voice, and he chuckled along with her, but his laugh was more on the nervous side.

The Porsche slowed down, making Lightning pull up next to her, so that they could drive side-by-side. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the ghostlight too!"

"I am not! I don't fall for Mater's little pranks anymore either. I just-" A large cracking sound interrupted Lightning's defense and he quickly switched gears. "What was that?"

"Probably a bird or something. They tend to be out here in nature every once in a while," Sally, the ever witty one, quipped. She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's skittish, although adorable, behavior. "Come on, Stickers."

The same sound happened again and this time, the racecar jumped slightly. "There it is again!"

"Lightning, there is nothing out here to be afrai-" Sally's sentence was cut off by a different cracking sound, more like the sound of rubbing metal. It was very soft but could definitely be heard by the now parked couple. The noise stopped and there was just silence before Lightning turned to Sally.

"Does that happen out here in nature every once in a while too?"

Sally put herself in gear and kept driving, shaking her bumper a little. "It's probably just an old sign. In the wind. "

The racecar followed her. "Sure. We're going to end up like that couple from Sheriff's story, just a pair of license plates…. I don't even have a license plate!"

"Calm down. We are not-" Suddenly, a bright glow with a bluish tint shined behind them, so bright it was illuminating the road in front of them. The sound of rubbing metal started again, this time a lot louder, and a much larger shadow loomed ominously around theirs, making both believe that whatever was out here, was right behind them. Not having the courage to look back, Lightning and Sally looked at each other with eyes as wide as hubcaps.

"Race you to Flo's!" Sally put her engine in high gear and zoomed off before barely finishing her sentence, Lightning not far behind her shouting "It's the ghostlight!", as they drove down the windy, country road heading for the safety that was the town.

Out of the bushes came a loud, boisterous laugh followed by Mater with Guido. Mater studied the two pairs of skid marks left by the racecar and the Porsche, laughing even harder, before turning to Guido and laying his tire on one of the little forklift's outstretched arms, as a high-tire.


	9. Asking Out

**Author's Note: **Thanks for all your reviews, favs, etc.! Sadly, this story is almost over; one or two more chapters left!

**Disclaimer: ****_Cars _and its characters are property of Disney and Pixar respectively.**

* * *

He was Lightning McQueen, he could handle anything. He held his own in the racing world, he's taken on Frank the turbine on many occasions, he's survived the first week of being in this "hillbilly hellhole", but he sat low on his tires at the simple thought of what he was about to do.

"Jus' go!" He jumped slightly at Mater's boisterous voice behind him, "Everyone know y'all like each other except y'all!"

Lightning sighed a little, "It's not that simple, Mater. What if she says no?"

"Then, she says no and you gotta live the res' of your life alone."

Lightning started and looked over at his best friend with wide eyes, "Wait, what?!" He winced a little when the rusty tow truck knocked his fender with his tire a little too hard, and watched helplessly as Mater laughed.

"I'm just kiddin'! She ain't gonna say no but you ain't gonna get a yes sittin' here yappering! Go before I tow you in ther'!" Having too much experience with Mater's _prying_ tow hook in his undercarriage, the racecar quickly drove the short distance from the edge of the street into the swanky Cozy Cone office. The familiar sight of an overwhelming abundance of cones surrounded the office and Lightning slightly wondered if Sally ever had dreams about fluorescent orange cones. The thought of Sally brought his wandering eyes to the sleek, baby blue Porsche parked behind the desk, her dazzling aquamarine eyes scanning over a document so intensely, Lightning almost felt bad to interrupt her. Coincidentally, he didn't have to say anything as a high-pitched tone resembling a bell rang out, sensing his presence entering the office.

If his paint wasn't so red, Lightning would be noticeably blushing as Sally's eyes jumped up from her desk to him at the entrance. He could feel the heat creeping up his bumper when she smiled instantly, seeing who it was, and that mere thought gave him enough confidence to not drive away.

"Welcome to the Cozy Cone. Can I help you?" He saw her soft smirk and knew it was going to be one of _those_ conversations. Those conversations that anyone else would clearly see was shamelessly flirting but what the pair would call "playful, friendly banter".

Lightning drove right up to the other side of the desk, his trademark half-smile on. "Umm, yeah. Cone #1, please."

He watched as she looked down at what he knew was a list she used to keep track of who was in what room for the week. It wasn't "Lightning McQueen", but "Stickers" whose name was on the top of that list every week and that thought warmed his already hot engine.

Sally made a rather convincing apologetic face, "Ooo, sorry. Already taken."

He accompanied her pretend apologetic face with a pretend annoyed one. "By who?"

"Some hotshot rookie racecar. Always driving too fast, revs his engine too loud, gets in a lot of trouble with cacti patches, I hear." The two cars both started laughing by the end of Sally's rant and he prayed that she couldn't hear his V8 engine purring like a kitten at the sound of her laughter.

"Good morning, Stickers."

"Hey, Sal. Are you really busy?"

"Oh! Uh, no. Not if you want to talk to me, no, of course not." Lightning thought he could see the tint around her bumper turn to the slightest shade of purple but maybe he was just imagining it.

"Oh, good. Great. I just wanted to talk to you about- well, actually ask you… something." The racecar mentally slapped himself with his tire for how stupid he was sounding. Sally didn't seem to mind though as she just smiled at him and nodded. "Maybe, if one day, you know, you're not busy with this, and you have some free time… and I have some free time, then maybe we could, you know, hang out! But not, hang out, I mean, we do that all the time, I was thinking, more like, you know…"

The Porsche picked up what Lightning was trying to say and her eyes slightly widened at the realization that he was finally doing it, well, trying to. While Lightning was looking everywhere but at her and still stumbling over his words, her eyes traveled to her desk again where her bright yellow notes stood out to her, one in particular that said "Meeting moved from 2 PM to noon", and she gasped slightly. "That's today?! Oh, no! I completely forgot!" She quickly glanced at the clock on her desk that read 11:55 AM and reversed from the desk, carefully maneuvering around it. "I'm going to be late! I-" She reversed from the entrance to face Lightning, who she could tell was trying to hide his disappointment and she remembered why he was here in the first place.

Smiling, "Stickers… I would love to. Tomorrow night. Wheel Well. I'll make reservations for seven, don't be late.

Mater watched as Lightning rolled himself back from the Cone to where the tow truck waited like a trusty dog. Seeing the look on both Lightning and Miss Sally's face as she raced out of the Cone and through the town, heading up Tailfin Pass, Mater didn't have to ask what had happened in the Cozy office.

"See?! That wasn't so har'." Mater nudged Lightning again on the fender with his tire and this time, the racecar didn't wince as he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Yeah, sure. From where you were sitting."


End file.
